#source: i watch way too many damn movies

[deanpinterester]

i have this unfounded theory that a lot of media is so consumed with trying to one-up each other and be different that they forget that simplicity is often just as effective of a tool in telling a compelling and cohesive story

[kuwdora]

Saturday Morning Vid Recs - Women!

Back in January I told @poetikat that I wanted to share just a fraction of vids I’ve seen since I started vidding in 2007 that I love. Taken me forever to format the links into a post to share. I have several more posts half-finished and may show up on your dashboard in following weeks or months.

I'm reccing vids that are at least 1 year old, but most of these vids are 4 and 8 and 12 years old and sometimes older. These vids feature a variety of sources, characters, genres of music, genres of shows. Each of these vidders have their own style and the way they approach a song or a source. I love these vids, they're fun to watch, they're hot, mesmerizing, engaging, thoughtful, full of love and horniness and BAMFs and joy and struggle. I love. I love.

I give to you 23 vids for this weekend's theme:

Women!!

Learning to Fly by rhoboat. Beautiful Boxer (2004). A movie vid based on trans Thai boxer Nong Toom’s life. This song is so good showing her journey to learning to find herself and fly! Ako Te Reo by bironic. Rūrangi (2020). Ana learning Te Reo Māori. This vid is so wonderful! It's never too late to learn. Come on Feet by JinkyO. Pumzi (2009). The song choice and pacing is incredible for this Kenyan sci-fi film. Something has to keep us moving forward. Black Nails by fightingarrival. A League of their Own (2022). A Max vid that is a great look at her journey on the show. This vid makes me want to rewatch all her scenes all over again. Here, take this L. Damned if She Do by chaila. Borgen. This source is the Danish political drama Borgen. Birgette is so kick-ass and this song is perfect for her. She come alive when she dying. "Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." Strict Machine by such_heights. Doctor Who. River Song. I’m in love with River Song so of course I have to rec this. I get high on a buzz then a rush when I'm plugged in you. Counting Stars by beccatoria. DC Animated Wonder Woman. Beccatoria has always done such a great job of vidding animated source and WOMEN!!!! Superstar by @heresluck. Buffy the Vampire Slayer. A Faith vid. This (one of many) epic Faith vids to come out of vidding fandom over the years. This vid lives rent free in my head. But I would pay this vid to live in my head because I love it so much. Never gonna be the same again.

Down & Dirty by @sweeter-than. Killjoys. A Dutch fanvid! A++ song choice for a character study showing her relationship with the Jacobi brothers and her general awesomeness. Make way. Cut Like a Buffalo by kiki_miserychic. Empire. Cookie Lyon fanvid! Cookie has all the skin in the game and she is so good at music, but damn there’s so much bullshit she has to deal with along the way. Yeah, you know I look like a woman but I / Cut like a buffalo / Stand up like a tower, tall / Then I fall just like a domino. Control: A Monstress Fanvid by garrideb. Based on the comic Monstress. You know this Halsey song + any woman who has been Going Through It is going to be a fucking ride. Great editing, amazing art. Fortunate One by @moocowmoocow The Expanse. CAMINA!!! DRUMMER!!!! A Sleater-Kinney cover of Fortunate Son is 10 million kinds of brilliance here for Camina and this source. I ain't no fortunate one. Celebrity Skin by @some-stars. Black Sails. This is an Eleanor and Max character vid. I repeat: Elenor and Max vid to Courtney Love’s music. Heed the warnings. This vid is so goddamn good. It better be worth it. Double Woman by starlady. Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame. So much awesomeness packed into this vid. Through the camera lens re-editing history gives imagination to the people. Wu Zetian and Shangguang Jing'er are awesome. Hooray for awesome ladies of the Tang Dynasty! Titanium by giandujakiss. Wonder Woman (the original tv show). She is titanium! Suffering Sappho.

Mirrors by @kuwdora. Snow White and the Huntsman. Queen/Snow. Lots of fantasy imagery and bdsm like themes since the Queen wants to suck the youth from Snow. Sex. Love. Control. Vanity. Lightning Field by bradcpu, a Legend of the Seeker fanvid of Cara/Kahlan. The imagery in this vid is outstanding, the tone the atmosphere. I have rewatched this more times than I can count. Strike me down, Give it everything you've got. Hands Away by chaila and beccatoria. Sarah Connor Chronicles/Fringe. Sarah/Olivia constructed reality fanvid that is constructed really really fucking well that you might forget that these are two different shows. I can't reach you. (Or, two messiahs walk into an alternate reality) Hurricane by @laurashapiro. Farscape and Battlestar Galactica, Starbuck/Aeryn.This vid is so epic and hot and incredible...Hot and sexy and can’t take your eyes off them. Two pilots walk into a bar. I Wanna Go by millylicious, a multi-source action vid Angelia Jolie tribute. This is fun and delightful. Space Girl by charmax. Multi-source space women and girls! My momma told me I should never watch Sci-fi but I did, I did, I did. Celebration by sweetestrain. Pop divas. Madonna, Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Beyonce, etc. Another one of my favorites of favorites. The connected imagery between all of these music videos still blows my mind, but goes to show you how pop music continues to build and evolve from each other. Plus sexy dancing. If it makes you feel good. Your Song by anoel. Multi-fandom. One of the most epic sapphic/wlw vids out there. I don’t wanna hear sad songs anymore, I only wanna hear love songs.

Hope you like these recs! Follow the tags to keep up #saturday morning vid recs and/or #kuwdora recs

EDITING TO ADD: How to Leave Feedback on Fanvids

[merriclo]

i’m 100% vagueposting here but so many very popular BSD analyses are essentially just huge reaches that can be easily disproven, made due to a deep misunderstanding of the narrative and a lack of genuine respect for the process of analyzing.

i’ve seen entire essays on how Dazai didn’t abuse Akutagawa, and how Akutagawa doesn’t abuse Higuchi. i’ve seen post after post discount the importance of the trust that rests within Double Black. i’ve seen people argue over whether or not Kunikida’s ideals are healthy.

and half the damn time, sources aren’t cited whatsoever: there’s no quotes or manga panels used anywhere!! scenes and moments will be referenced, but without a proper citation there’s so many different ways you can present and misconstrue what actually happened. and with a series like BSD, where so many aren’t able to read the light novels or watch the movie or read the manga, that can change so much.

and then it’ll be revealed that the author only spends like,, 3-4 hours max on the entire process behind one post. the information gathering, the writing, the formatting + aesthetics, and then the posting. if you’ve never gotten deep into analyzing media before, just know that 3-4 hours is a painfully short amount of time to give an analysis.

it boggles my mind, too, because it will be these exact kinds of posts that are written with nothing but contempt for the readers. their words will be laced with pure annoyance and distaste for the audience and general fandom. i’ve even witnessed people publicly insult commenters who praised them, calling them stupid sheep for being hyperbolic in their compliments. it’s cruel, and incredibly mean-spirited.

speaking of which, there’s also a conversation to be had about how bigotry impacts these discussions. several character analyses i’ve seen have been nothing but poorly-masked attempts at discounting popular queer ships, or ignoring the abuse present in heterosexual ones to provide an alternative. but that’s… its own entire can of worms that i’ll crack open at a later date.

tl;dr, think critically, and always for yourself. an analysis shouldn’t be trying to end a conversation, they should always be seen as an addition to them. the author attempting anything else is a major red flag. you should always be trying to find the parts of analyses that you agree and disagree with!! don’t let anyone tell you want to think, that is for you and you alone to decide.

i know this is honestly seems like a non-issue, but media literacy is an incredibly important skill to have in the real world, and it starts with the very media (and commentary of said media) you consume. stay critical chat ily

[musingmeaninglessly]

Watching Across the Spiderverse w/ Lo'ak & Neteyam (ft. Spider)

A/N; Since so many of us crossover into both these fandoms, I came up with this fun idea. Also, it was kinda inspired by the cute human drabbles that @littletrippyyhippyy writes! Hope y'all enjoy, I made myself laugh writing this, at least 😂

Warnings; Bit of swearing. Spider loses it. Lo'ak's a dummy. Spoilers for both movies, I guess??? Human reader. Kinda proofread.

Summary; You convince Neteyam and Lo'ak to watch Across the Spiderverse with you. They have some questions...

"OH. MY. GOD."

From your sudden verbal outburst, it's safe for the Sully brothers next to you to assume that you enjoyed the movie.

Across the Spiderverse, to be exact.

"That was incredible!! You guys liked it, right? Of course you did! You loved it! Tell me how much you loved it!!" you ramble, excitedly jumping up from your seat on the couch, turning to face your two Na'vi friends.

It had all been Jake's idea. Ever since you arrived on Pandora five years ago, his sons had become more interested in learning about human culture, from different foods to pop culture. The Sully patriarch had a feeling that their interest had piqued because of you specifically, but that was an avenue to be ventured down another time.

The brothers had happily agreed to watch this movie with you, despite having no idea what a spider is or why it should be attributed to any man. But, they couldn't turn down any time spent with you.

After begging Norm to somehow source the long-awaited sequel to Into the Spiderverse, you had ushered them over to the shack through the comms system. Whether you believed in the deity or not, you thanked God for Norm and his ways. Wi-Fi on Pandora was sketchy at best and just about held up for the odd email. Yet, somehow, Norm had got a hold of the new cinematic release so that you wouldn't have to suffer through streaming it.

And for you, it had been so worth the wait. You had loved every damn second. When Into the Spiderverse came out, you had been preparing to leave Earth. It was crazy to think how much had changed in the five years since you arrived on Pandora, a theme that had been mirrored in the movie.

Whipping your head round from the projector screen, where the movie credits rolled, Neteyam and Lo'ak would've marvelled at the joy lighting up your face if they hadn't been so damn confused. Neteyam looked as though he were about to say something but was continuously rephrasing it in his mind. Whereas Lo'ak just came straight out with it, amber eyes narrowed. "I'm confused..."

"By what?" you scrunch your face up. You had taken time to explain the whole premise of the Marvel universe to the brothers. Apparently they hadn't caught on just yet.

"Everything. Why could that Miles guy walk upside down? Why were there so many man spiders? And when will he kiss the blonde girl??"

"Lo'ak, I explained it all to you! Miles got bit by a radioactive Spider in the first movie, couldn't save his uncle Aaron, and you should know the rest!" you flop in between the brothers in an over-dramatic way, resuming your seat from earlier.

Lo'ak's brows knit together in a childish sort of way, but he smirks teasingly. "I can't ask questions now? Not my fault your dumb human movie makes no sense... OW!"

Neteyam's slap up the side of Lo'ak's head puts him back in his place. You exchange an amused glance with the oldest Sully brother, before giving Lo'ak a nudge in the ribs.

"Shut up, skxawng. Not my fault you didn't pay attention! The movie was amazing, right Neteyam?"

Neteyam looks a little caught off guard as you ask his opinion. In truth, he's a little confused by the story too, but he had paid better attention to your precursory Marvel lesson.

"It was...interesting." he muses thoughtfully, before Lo'ak cuts him off.

"I got another question! Why, Y/N, did you blush whenever that big guy came on the screen?"

His shit-eating smirk would have annoyed you if your thoughts hadn't been redirected to your favourite hunky Spider-Man.

"Oh, Miguel?" you ask before sighing dreamily. The brothers watch you in amusement as you resemble an ice pop melting in the August sun. "He's yummy..."

"Gross! He was a jerk!" Lo'ak exclaims. "He looked like he was about to explode he was so huge! Is this really what you human girls like?"

Grabbing the remote from you, Lo'ak rewinds the movie to a still of Miguel, immediately wishing he hadn't when you squeal in delight. As you do, though, he not-so-subtly flexes his biceps to compare with your animated crush.

"You got a way to go, bro" Neteyam chortles, eyeing his brother's lanky arms in amusement. Lo'ak just rolls his eyes.

"Whatever. That guy was an asshole. Did you see the way he yelled at Miles?" Lo'ak waves his arms around and it's honestly amusing to you how invested he appears to be in the movie.

"Kinda reminded me of you and your Dad..." you tap your chin in thought, grinning at the sputtering sound of laughter that comes from Neteyam beside you. Once again, Lo'ak scowls, but it doesn't stop you adding, "...on a good day..."

Neteyam loses it then and there, his usual coyness replaced with hysterical laughter that forces him to reach for the Co2 ask around his neck. Even Lo'ak cracks a small smile at your quip, and soon you're all laughing together.

That is, until the moment is interrupted by your human brother from another mother.

"Hey guys! I got snacks for the movie, I can't wait to see i-"

Spider's eyes widen with betrayal as they land on the rolling credits on the screen. His jaw drops, as do the snacks that he's holding. You can only bite your lip and stifle a laugh as his focus turns to you, pointing an accusing finger. "YOU."

"Spider, I'm sorry but you took too long!" you leap up, backing away from him. He's taller than you, after all, and evidently pissed. The sight makes Neteyam and Lo'ak snicker a little, although they are a bit worried for you...

"You watched the whole damn thing without me!" Spider is not far away from throwing a hissy fit, and it takes everything in you not to explode with laughter. Hands outstretched, you look as though you're taming a wild mountain banshee. At the moment, Spider certainly resembles one. "YOU KNOW HOW MUCH I LOVE SPIDER-MAN, Y/N! WHY DO YOU THINK EVERYONE CALLS ME SPIDER?"

"I thought it was because of your hair, bro..." Lo'ak teases, truly testing your resolve where laughter is concerned.

"BRO-"

"Let's calm down..." Neteyam chuckles, standing up to try and calm Spider down in his big-brotherly way, "We'll watch it again, right Y/N?"

"Of course!" you squeak, growing a little nervous at Spider's impending wrath. So much so that after hiding behind Neteyam, you dart towards the door, giggling as you run away from the taller human boy.

"Y/N! YOU. ARE. DEAD!"

There's a mad chase, but the Sully brothers look at each other in amusement as they hear your high-pitched laughter resounding through the corridor.

"Looks like we're watching the man spiders again, bro..." Lo'ak turns to his brother.

"Yeah, looks that way..." Neteyam grins.

[queer-reader-07]

don't mind me i'm just dropping my review of dune part 2 here because i really really really loved this movie and it changed me on a molecular level and i can't stop thinking about it and everyone should watch it it's so good i'm not joking it's literally one of the best films i've ever watched. ok anyway, review:

I remember very clearly the day I finished Dune. I remember how I was sitting at the kitchen table, eating rice & beans with a spoon in one hand, and holding my dad's battered and loved mass market in the other hand. I remember how I read the final words and closed the book slowly. How I got up to go sit in my dad's home office and stare into space in disbelief at what I'd just read. I remember how I looked at my dad and I said "I can see why it's your favorite. I think it's mine too."

I saw Dune Part 2 on opening night, in IMAX, with my dad. And to say it was a night to remember is an understatement. I can say with full confidence that seeing this film is sure to become a core memory.

The sheer power of this film is something to behold. I don't think there was a single moment in those 166 minutes that I wasn't entirely immersed in the film, my eyes were glued to that screen like never before.

There were moments during the movie where I was genuinely frightened, moments that had me on the edge of my seat. I know how this story goes, I know how it ends, I know who lives and who dies. And yet...

Paul Atreides is a scary man by the end of this story. The transformation he undergoes after drinking the Water of Life is unsettling, and Timothee did a fantastic job of portraying it. Paul's speeches about how he is The One- The Lisan Al-Gaib- are damning. You can see how much he believes now that he must be the messiah and how deeply the Fremen believe in him, but you can also see how dangerous he is. The power in his words is scary because I know how much damage the search for one person to save us all can cause. His final speech instills a sense of breath-stealing deep in the audience. It's frightening and disturbing because I know that this kind of religious zealotry is not being played up for the sake of theatrics; it is very, very real.

Jessica's religious indoctrination is scarily accurate to the indoctrination I've witnessed in my own life. The way she talks of "converting the non believers" reminds me a little too much of how I was taught to share the Word of God with those who didn't believe in Christ or God while I was in catholic school. And while her own indoctrination is terrifying to witness, what is worse is watching how she spreads her propaganda amongst the Fremen. By the end, they believe that Paul will save them; rather than being saved by their own people.

Despite knowing that Stilgar's faith is largely due to Bene Gesserit propaganda that speaks of a messiah, I still find him to be an admirable character. His unwavering and unshakeable faith mimics the faith of many religious people I know in real life. I've always envied that kind of faith, the kind that prevails regardless of hardship or pain or loss. I sometimes wish I could have that kind of faith, I wish I could believe in something that strongly. Stilgar is not shaken by anything Paul or Chani or any other Fremen say. He believes with his whole being that Paul is the Lisan Al-Gain, and that he will save them all.

"I don't care what you believe. I believe!"

And it's just such a well crafted movie. Shai-Hulud looks so good in this film (the sand worm riding scenes were breathtaking). The cinematography, the soundtrack, the acting; everything feels so intentional. I'm so grateful this film exists.

This movie will stick with me for a while, if not forever. It so faithfully portrays not only the story but the themes of Dune. This film was clearly made with love, care, and adoration for the source material. I couldn't be more grateful.

As the film came to a close, as Jessica's final words rang in my ears, as I watched Chani prepare to ride Shai-Hulud, I did not know what to do with myself. As the credits began to roll everyone around me stood up while I stayed seated. As I peeled myself out of my seat to leave, the music that played rang throughout the theater. I was breathing heavy, I turned to my dad, and we concluded that this was a truly wonderful film.

in conclusion, i can die happy knowing my favorite novel of all time has been so perfectly adapted.

[mewmewpercy]

Hello there! Recently I saw your reblog regarding the hoyoverse boycott about whether we should play continuing playing Genshin or not. That same twt user made a thread about how will it no longer participate make any twts about the boycott and how disappointed they are with the boycott is failing.

https://x.com/KinichCEO/status/1823430343157780740?t=uus6sG-A30Vw44EET-rlqQ&s=19

While I can understand their reasoning I feel like they are still missing out some key details.

For example with the upcoming Captain American movie coming out the BDS wants everyone to boycott everything thats related to Marvel/Disney in order to remove Captain Israel or Sabra from the movie. As of right now I haven't watch a single Marvel or Disney media since the release of Sabra but that doesn't mean I can still like and enjoy Spiderverse and the only merch that I have bought that is Marvel related are usually from artists who are selling their own merchandise. Not something from official Marvel/Disney

Like you said it's hard to boycott a gacha game and the only way you can do that is by attacking their main income. Which is why many encourage to be f2p. What many fail to realize is that idea that hotoverse game has a BIG community of whalers. When in reality that only a small community many do not have that privilege on having a c6 5 star. I have been a f2p since the 2nd Lantern rite and I only spent money on the game on 2 characters out of 13 chatacter that I won by saving

Aiya you bring up a very good point I've forgotten. You can very much like a product and hate the creator.

The idea that every hoyo gamer is a whale has to be the product of youtubers. They have the privilege to spend money the average player can't. A lot of players are young and jobless. A lot of players don't think spending on games is necessary. I play star rail f2p and the only reason I have very few limiteds is because of the lack of interesting male characters or the unfortunate timing of reruns. I feel like it's an unfair assessment to assume an entire playerbase spends thousands because a loud minority does.

Back on the like the product hate the maker idea though. I like music from genshin and star rail. I won't deny that. I also enjoy many character trailers. Am I inherently a terrible racist because I enjoy products made by a shitty company? No. No I am not. Maybe I'll use less than ideal routes of enjoying them to avoid profiting the company instead. Maybe I'd rather commend the work of entire other teams of people separate from the higher ups that are most likely the issue. I've stopped liking content. I don't look at all the art posted. I download whatever I deem useful off the tiktok pages and share with people who play to avoid them getting even a cent extra.

The 5.0 program is supposed to be Friday. Normally I watch them or scrub through vods. I'm not even bothering because I'd rather engage with fans reposting the info than looking at the source. Most of my enjoyment stems from fans anyways and I'm always subject to spoilers about 20 times day of so why bother?

All in all people generalise these games players way too damn much because they assume what they hear loud youtubers say is true for everyone. They assume everyone is dropping hundreds or thousands of dollars. They assume people even spend a dime on refreshes or welkin or small amounts of currency.

People also act like you should be burned at the stake for daring to enjoy things. I can enjoy game lore and music without enjoying the rare time I could be represented being full of races not even close to mine and all white in game. I can say yea I do enjoy someone's trailer and still think they deserve melanin. I don't support the company I support the workers trying their damndest to do what they can to represent cultures.

Just because people play doesn't mean they aren't boycotting and it's a dick move to try and push people to quit or be hella negative just because some loud people say they'll spend. People who whale have decided to skip entirely. People who barely spend went f2p. Even f2p players are debating skipping banners or only pulling on a few. The community dividing over shitty assumptions will be the reason we fail not because people play without paying.

[x0401x]

Hi, if you don't mind, can I ask from this ask game :

https://www.tumblr.com/theclearblue/761071267749265408/anime-asks-because-why-not?source=share

For no. 4, 6, 8, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 20, 23, 24, 28

Thanks if you want to answer whichever that you want.....

Ayyy, sure! Sorry for taking so long to reply to this!

4. Least favorite anime character: Kinoshita Kazuya

This one was hard. I usually have lots of characters I like and lots that I’m neutral about but none that I quite hate. One character that left me particularly grossed out, though, was this guy. I can’t say I hate him, but I’ve never been so instantly put off by a fictional character. The combination of being plain disgusting and stupid with having absolutely no redeeming qualities and nothing going on for him was particularly unsettling. It’s not even that he gave us nothing; he really only gave his worst.

6. Popular anime that you didn’t like: Violet Evergarden

Y’all know me. Y’all know where I’m coming from. 🫠

8. Anime character you’re the most like: Honestly, no idea. I’d like to know people’s opinions on this one.

13. Funnest anime you have watched: This one is kinda abstract. I have no idea how to measure the fun. My all-time favorite isn’t exactly what I’d call “fun” and I have too many that I consider fun animes.

14. Saddest anime you have ever watched: Midori Shoujo Tsubaki.

I know that this one aims to be a lot of things way above its intention to be melancholic, but it’s definitely the anime where I’ve felt worst about the protagonist. The ending is surrealistic yet too real at the same time. It’s probably the anime that had me going “damn, that’s sad as hell” the most.

15. Anime you never get sick of watching: Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi

I have quite a few anime that I’d rewatch anytime if I felt like it, but this is the only one that I feel like rewatching whenever I see anything related to it. I probably have answered this in every anime ask game I’ve played, but Sen to Chihiro is my all-time favorite anime and movie.

Another anime that I never get tired of rewatching is Gakkou no Kaidan. I used to rewatch it every year on Halloween as a personal tradition when I was a kid and I have a physical copy of all the books in the series. I only don’t rewatch it anymore because I hardly have time for binging nowadays, but if I could do it again? Damn right I would.

16. 10 best animes you have watched: That’s tough! I have a long list of favorites. Aside from Sen to Chihiro, in no particular order:

1. Heike Monogatari

2. Fullmetal Alchemist (I’m combining the first one with Brotherhood here because I love the whole franchise and I’ve always felt that they complete each other)

3. Mushishi

4. Card Captor Sakura

5. Inuyasha

6. Rurouni Kenshin (the first one)

7. Soul Eater

8. Nana

9. Yu Yu Hakusho

10. Monster

18. 10 worst anime you’ve watched (this one is also in no particular order and there’s actually way more than just 10 but here we go):

1. PUPA

2. Diabolik Lovers

3. Drammatical Murder

4. Kaze no Na wa Amnesia

5. Nora

6. Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2025

7. Berserk (2016)

8. Mahou Shoujo ni Akogarete

9. Ro-Kyu-Bu!

10. Kamierabi GOD.app

20. Least favorite anime ships: Literally any inc*st and p*do ship.

23. Unpopular character you love: I don’t really have unpopular characters that I love, but there sure are characters whom I love yet a good chunk of the fandom detests.

24. Popular character you hate: Also don’t have any. I’m either neutral or love them. But then again, there are characters that the fandom is obsessed with yet make me feel next to nothing.

28. Most upsetting moment in anime and why: The entirety of Tsurune, lol. Because the novels (albeit not well-written) are leagues above it in content, depth, overall plot and character handling. It’s pretty much a spiritual experience once you realize what the author is trying to convey, which the studio not only didn’t understand but also tried to run from like the devil runs from the cross. Pretty sure the author also wasn’t too hyped about some things in the anime, as implied in one of her afterwords.

This was fun to do! Thank you!

[amyispxnk]

Chickenshit

Day 2 of my Halloweeny drabbles with Joel!

26/10: horror movie

Joel Miller x gn!reader

Word count: 895

Warnings: language, pet names (sweetheart, darlin')

Do not copy this work in any way, pls and ty

----------------------------------------------------------

Beep, beep, beep.

You opened the microwave door and took the bag of popcorn out, cursing quietly when the hot air grazed your hands.

You walked back into the living room to see Joel flicking through the TV channels to find a movie to watch. After setting the bowl on the small table in front of the couch, you sat beside him, tucking your feet beneath you and looking at him.

"So, what're we watching then?"

He turned back to face you before nodding his head towards the screen.

"Scream."

You raised your eyebrows at him with an unimpressed look on your face.

"Scream? We've all seen that like.. 20 times already. It's not even a horror film, just a whole lotta blood and death. Are you too chickenshit to watch anything that's actually scary? Hm, Joel? Too scared..?" You mocked in a playful tone. He glared at you, or tried to - he found it really hard to be truly annoyed at you - before handing you the remote.

"Fine, you pick somethin' scary. I bet ya 10 dollars you won't be able to sleep without me tonight you'll be so afraid."

"Challenge accepted." You replied, confident you'd be 10 dollars richer by the end of the night as you turned on The Ring.

-------

An hour later, you were petrified. You didn't want to look at the screen, but you couldn't tear your eyes away from it either, trying to catch the next jumpscare before it got you, failing miserably each time.

"Holy- Shit! Why are there so many jumpscares in this fuckin' film?!" You complained after what seemed like the ninth one in the past 20 minutes.

He just shrugged, smugness radiating from him as he watched you slowly get more and more freaked out, throwing more popcorn into his mouth. You reached for some more and pouted slightly when you realised he had finished the entire bowl.

"Joel.. did you seriously finish all the popcorn."

"'s not like you were eatin' any. Too scared shittin' your pants-"

"Go fill it up now." You cut him off as you handed him the bowl, eyes falling back to the TV, transfixed by the events playing out on-screen once again. He was about to tease you some more but decided against it, going to the kitchen and looking through the cabinets for the popcorn bag.

That was the last one.

"Sweetheart, 'm gonna go to the store real quick. Don't got any popcorn left." He called out from the hallway.

"Yeah, okay. Don't take forever." You responded as you heard the door close.

--------

15 minutes later, Joel still wasn't back and you heard something. A floorboard creaking. Probably nothing, the house is old anyways. The tap running. You needed to get it fixed, you'd tell Joel later. A crack, then a thud.

"Probably just a tree or something. Yeah. 's nothing." You quietly assured yourself, pulling the blanket tighter around your body, glancing around a bit before looking back to the screen. It was a quiet scene, nothing much was going on. Nothing much until-

The lights flickered in your house, again and again until they turned off completely.

"What the fuck.." You muttered under your breath, squinting your eyes to look through the darkness- the only source of light being the TV. When you looked back at it, the girl was fucking crawling through the TV and you nearly pissed your pants, jumping up and scrambling for the remote to immediately turn the film off.

Your shaky hands reached for your phone, pressing the button to call Joel, about to shout at him to hurry the fuck up because why was it taking so long for him to get some damn popcorn?!

Creeeeeeeaaaak.

You whipped your head around to the direction the noise came from before a pair of hands grasped your shoulders tightly.

You almost actually did piss your pants before the light turned on and you saw Joel's face staring back at you, shit-eating grin very evident on it. Grin which immediately disappeared when you accidentally smacked him across the face.

"Get the fuck off- Joel?" You stared at him, panting from the adrenaline coursing through your veins and watched as he broke out into laughter, doubling over at the sight of you gripping the remote and holding it in preparation to use it like a weapon, quivering with your eyes blown wide in fear.

"What. The fuck. Was that?!" You demanded, not amused like he was.

"That-" he began after a good thirty seconds of howling with laughter. "That was me being the king at scaring you, darlin'."

You threw the remote back onto the couch, before turning back to him.

"So that was all you? You- did you even get the popcorn?"

"I did not get the popcorn, but I don't think we'll be needin' any, considerin' you turned the film off."

You looked back to the TV screen, and yes you had turned it off, but you didn't want him to have the satisfaction. You were gonna finish the damn film, you weren't chickenshit.

"We don't need popcorn, but we're still finishing the film."

--------

He had to stay over that night because of how scared you were, jumping at every little noise that came from inside and outside your house.

Safe to say he didn't pull a stunt like that again.

----------------------------------------------------------

Thank you for reading! I hope you liked it <3 Comments, reblogs and hearts are always appreciated and requests are open! 💞

[king-midas-fortnite]

Journal Entry: 02

Relevant Reblog Threads: https://www.tumblr.com/kado-fortnite/757815879423639552/an-invitation-to-watch-bloodsport-from-a-king-it?source=share AND https://www.tumblr.com/king-midas-fortnite/758022626128035840/it-was-a-nice-night-decent-company-for-certain?source=share

I mentioned in my last entry that I was thinking of ways to make things even with Kado for stopping me from doing something I'd regret in hurting Valeria, without making it known I felt the need to in the first place. 

Well, fortunate for me, he posted about being bored the other night while I had been enjoying an older bottle from my cellar. In a move I don't think I'd have chosen entirely sober, I invited him to the Nitrodome for entertainment he might find more suitable than reality TV. 

Surprisingly, and unlike many decisions made under the influence, I don't regret it. 

I had a fine time. I hesitate to say "good". It was Kado after all. But at the very least, he can make decent conversation when we aren't at each other's throats. Not to mention, Valeria puts on a good show when she's under the dome. 

I'd brought a bottle of Chateau Lafite Rothschild, Pauillac. 1986, hardly the most vintage in my collection, but one I was looking forward to trying regardless, and met him outside. 

As I said in my invite to him, the plan was to climb the overhanging rafters for a better and more private view. I don't care for sitting amongst crowds. Especially not the kind who go to Nitrodome events. Anyway, the speed at which he climbed those rafters while I carefully made my way up was impressive if not entirely irritating. We were supposed to be discreet, and there he went swinging from pole to pole like some chimpanzee. 

At one point he'd asked if I needed a "hand." I could have killed him then. Feigned reaching for his hand and let the Touch do the rest, but oh well. Chances chances. 

Then he asked if I wanted to hang on his back while he went. The offer seemed genuine, but I will die before I risk anyone seeing me in some Vampire Romance Movie situation with Him. No, I could make it.

I did take some satisfaction in that when I finally did get to the top, he was hung upside down, looking a little...disheveled, from all his showing off. I asked if he was ready to take a bat nap. He didn't appreciate the joke, said he'd simply been having fun watching me. 

The show had begun after that. I realized I had forgot glasses once the bottle was opened, so we simply passed it back and forth. 

I've already mentioned Velaria putting on a good show, but I will reiterate, it was quite fun to watch. 

Between rounds of whatever the goal is down there (I don't pay much attention to rules, just the violence and expensive destruction), we chatted. Found common ground on some things; wine, art, theater. Found differing opinions on others; music, film, food.

One part I can not seem to let go of (and what I am having to have my third drink to even write down), was when he asked to see my hand. My fake one, that is. The one made to replace the one he stole. 

I didn't think he'd try anything at a place so public, so I held it out to him. He held it for a while, turning it over in his hands, tracing fingers over every weld and joint. It felt more intimate than I'd care to think about. 

He said it was beautiful. I thanked him, but couldn't help myself from asking if he was planning on taking that one too. 

He then got this smirk on his face and said, "I'd rather take the man attached to it." 

I'd snatched my hand back then, and decided I hadn't had nearly enough to drink for that sort of comment. I can only hope I didn't appear as surprised by it as I felt, but the Touch betrayed me as it often does and the damn bottle had changed to gold while I drank more from it. 

He'd laughed at me, of course. What I'm struggling with now is how I didn't hate the sound. I'm blaming it on the wine drank at the time and now. Moving on.

By the time we were heading back down, I was thoroughly drunk. He kept offering me help, staying irritatingly close as I went. I was in the middle of telling him I didn't need a "hand", and insulting him when I did lose my footing. 

He shouldn't have risked the exposure, but Kado had let his wings snap out for enough speed to catch me by the arm. For a man who's supposed to be keeping a secret, this was an extremely reckless action. I let him know as much after I regained my balance (queue the most sarcastic "you're welcome" I have ever heard). I have no idea if anyone saw, I suppose time will tell. 

We made it back down without further incident and accompanied each other further until our paths home split ways. Before we parted, I said something I wish I hadn't. Again, decisions made under the influence that I'd think better of otherwise. I thanked him. I thanked him for stopping me with Val, divulged to him how tired I am of hurting the people I care about... Stupid thing to do. I don't relish the idea of him knowing anything genuine about me, but I can't very well go back in time to correct that mistake. It was his time machine that blew up, after all. 

If anyone ever reads these, I think I'd kill them. Reminder: these are not "public" to other Tumblrverse characters. Okay to reblog, but please do not roleplay on journal entries!

[valhallaas]

Out To Get You

Chapter Two - October 26th

Masterlist

pairing: bob floyd x poppy!reader

summary: death was surrounding you. why were you the only one seeing it? it was all tied to you. when your friends started getting phone calls, and the sudden disappearances, it didn’t take you long to figure it out.

warnings: 18+ (minors dni) some themes may be upsetting, this is a slasher fic. there’s going to be gore. death. blood. violence. horror. (eventual) smut.

a/n: here it is! chapter two!!! i hope you like it!

The rain starts early Monday morning. Your throat tightens at the sight of the flashing cameras and news vans surrounding the entrance of the base. A bunch of reporters are standing around giving different news reports.

“North Island Naval Air Station was devastated last night when a Top Gun aviator was found brutally butchered. Authorities have yet to issue a statement but our sources tell us that no arrest has been made and the murderer is at large.”

Lisa’s home was still taped off. You didn’t know the details, and you weren’t sure that you wanted to. Yesterday had been rough. You spent the better half of the morning talking with the police. There wasn’t anything to offer them other than you heard screaming. It still echoed in your head. It keeps you up at night. You could’ve helped her had you known. But you didn’t, and it’s too late to think about things like that.

But coming to work to this? You’d completely forgotten about Jagger. He wasn’t the first guy to put his hands on you. You doubt he’d be the last. Did he deserve to die for it? No. Jake hadn’t gone into details yesterday when you called him, and Bob didn’t talk about it after the officer had left. He hadn’t given you a moment to truly process it all. Sweeping you out of your house and into a whirlwind weekend. You didn’t return home until late last night.

Fiddling with your keys, you stare out at the vans, the rain causing them to blur. You need to get out, head in. You’re sure it’ll be a madhouse. But you’re paralyzed. Your skin pricks, hair on the back of your neck sticking up. Your eyes leave the reporters as you look around. That damn feeling is back. Someone is watching you. It makes you want to scream. Your car door opening makes you jump. A sharp glare sent Jake’s way as he stands before you, rain dampening his hair.

“Can you believe this shit?”

Pushing him out of the way, you climb out of your car, ignoring the feeling that follows you. “Isn’t this internal affairs? Since he was in the military?”

“You know that the brass is investigating. But it’s major news, Poppy. The Hard Deck is just off base.”

“But it wasn’t at the Hard Deck?”

“No. He was found in some dumpsters between the hard deck and that diner Rooster likes to go to.”

“Jesus,” you mutter.

Your bag is your shield against the weather as you follow Jake into the hanger. Rooster and Phoenix are talking, eyes moving to the both of you when you walk in. Payback and Fanboy are over by the radio. You frown, eyes scanning the room. Bob normally beats you here, never one for running late. Your skin prickles again, but you can’t tell if it’s from your new paranoia or if it’s worry.

“Where’s Bobby?” You ask, not directing the question at anyone specific.

“Don’t know, kid. Haven’t seen him since the bar.”

Biting your lip at Rooster’s answer you turn to your best friend. “Jake, that picture you sent—”

“Are you worrying about me, Poppy?”

You jump at Bob’s sudden presence. “Please don’t do that.”

His lips tilt up. “You watchin’ those scary movies again?”

Heat dots your cheeks at the fact that he knows you so well. “Perhaps.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll keep you safe.”

Jake snorts from the other side of you. ”Sure, Baby on Board.”

You shake your head. Bagman would get what’s coming to him one of these days, and you’d make sure you’re there to laugh at him. Work trugs on. It’s hard with so many people around. They finally got most of the vans to leave the entry. Maverick’s waiting for you when you land your super hornet. Gut sinking at the concern written on his face.

“I’ve heard you had a rough weekend.”

You shrug. “It wasn’t great.”

“Well, I’m sure this will be the cherry on top.” He sighs at your crestfallen face. “Come on, Cyclone is waiting for you.”

You follow him until you're outside Admiral Simpson’s office. The military police standing outside the door usher you in, you look back at Maverick who only nods at you in encouragement. Slowly you sink down into the seat offered to you. Can they hear your heart beating?

“Poppy?”

You glance to meet the concerned gaze of your superior. Clearly, he’s been trying to gain your attention for a while.

“Yes sir?”

“Are you alright?”

You pause, thinking about your answer. “No, sir. Not really.”

He nods. “We’ll make this quick then.”

It was, in fact, not quick. They talked in circles. Asking the same questions, only rewording them to try and confuse you. You aren’t sure why they had you in for questioning in the first place. Who the fuck ran their mouth? You aren’t a killer. In the given situation, you had been the victim. How did you know the victim? Did you see him after that night? Did what he did upset you? Where were you the night he died? It’s exhausting, and you’re ready to go home. Your time being questioned by the police after Lisa had died wasn’t even this strenuous. You’re damn near in tears when they finally let you go. You lean against the wall, your breath ragged.

“Do you really think she had anything to do with it?”

There’s a scoff, a chair scraping, probaby Cyclone standing to his feet. “No, I don’t.”

The sudden sound of your phone ringing next to your head startles you awake. How annoying it is that you’re so jumpy lately. Squinting, your eyes move to the nearest clock. Fuck, you were supposed to meet everyone at Maverick’s. Too late now.

You swipe to answer, assuming it’s Jake ready to chew your ass out for not showing up. “Look, Bagman, I’m sorry I did—”

“Hello, Poppy.”

“Um. Do I know you?”

“You tell me.”

You think, trying to place the voice. It sounds a little distorted. “I have no idea.”

“Scary night, isn't it? With the murders and all, it's like right out of a horror movie or something.”

“Alright, Mickey, giving yourself away now.”

“Do you like scary movies, Poppy?”

“What’s that thing you’re doing with your voice, Mick? Can’t tell if you're trying to be mysterious or if you’ve recently started smoking a pack a day.”

“What's your favorite scary movie?”

“Don't start. You know what it is.”

“And what’s that?”

“The Conjuring.”

It’s silent for a beat too long, you think he hung up on you. “The one with the doll?”

You huff. “No, that’s Annabelle. I’m talking about the one with the 5 girls. They’re house is haunted by that demon witch. You know, with the creepy tree.”

“What do you like about it?”

“I don’t know.” You shrug, walking around your couch and into the kitchen. “Guess because people are way scarier than ghosts are. It’s easier to watch make believe.”

“Any good slasher flicks?”

“Come on, as if.” You scoff.

“Why not?”

“Because,” you laugh, “they're all the same. It's always some stupid killer stalking some blonde girl — who can't act worth shit — who always runs up the stairs when she should be going out the front door. They're lame as fuck.”

You look at your phone this time when it gets quiet. Nope. He’s still there. A frown takes over your face when you realize it says unknown. Why did you answer an unknown caller?

“Are you alone in the house?”

“Mickey, you are the fucking worst, you know that?”

“ Maybe that's because I'm not Mickey.”

“No? Who are you then?”

“The question is not who am I. The question is where am I?”

“So where are you?” You don’t know if you're brave or if you’re stupid. You're eighty-two percent sure it's Fanboy on the phone. So without waiting for him to answer you walk back outside. You stand on your porch for a minute looking around. It’s twilight. The sun is almost gone. Enough shadows to hide in, but still, you’re able to see. You walk down the driveway, around your car. Nothing. “Look, Mickey or not, I don’t care for the game you’re playing. Call someone else next time, alright?”

You walk back inside, making sure the door is locked behind you. Feeling less brave, you walk around and make sure all the doors and windows are locked. Still. Maybe you should call Jake? Maybe Bob? Neither would really blame you. Your neighbor was just murdered after all. Might tease you about watching scary movies. But how do you explain the call? Why would Mickey call you from an unknown number? You catch the date. It’s nearing Halloween. Maybe it’s only a prank call? Your mind goes back to the masked figure in the park. People do weird shit around Halloween.

You’ve got a weird feeling. Scrolling through your contacts you hit Fanboy’s number and listen to it ring. You're surprised when he doesn’t answer right away. He’d answer right away if it was a joke, right? Right? The ringing stops, but you don’t hear anything. Just some rustling. Your grip tightens on the phone.

“Mickey?”

Lightly, so lightly you barely make it out. “Help me.”

“Mickey, this isn’t fucking funny.”

More rustling and faint groaning. The sounds come to a stop, the groaning turning into a gurgling. Oh my god. Oh my god. Panic sets in. You need to call the police, you need—someone picks up the phone.

“See you around, Poppy.”

[lordbettany]

Well, I was thinking "Damn Good Acting Scenes" but I will take the other options also! xD xD

OK, I want to keep this list short, and I don't want to include his well-known characters. Also, the clips I wish to include in this post don't exist on the internet separately, so I have to share them myself 🙃🙃 and bc Tumblr doesn't let me add more than one video to this post, I'll be adding links and forwarding you to the said clips.

Steeltown Murders (2023). This brief flashback scene almost gave me a heart attack when I first watched the show. The subtle change of expression, those enlarging eyes, and fading of that forced smile were all perfect! You don't need to see him shout or hit her on screen to know that that poor woman was scared stiff of him.

The Way (2024). As a cinephile, I think crying scenes are quite significant to measure an actor's ability. I usually find them either exaggerated or unrealistic. Aneurin had many scenes that required him to cry until now, and among them, I find this the most realistic and heartbreaking.

Ironclad (2011). I'm not a big fan of action movies and seldom watch fighting scenes with great interest. Typically, the protagonists swing their swords, emerge victorious, and say cool lines and go on. In this scene, Thomas Marshal does that exact thing. Even though the writers obviously wanted to make him an emotionally broken war veteran, who is a warning against romanticizing fighting and killing, they still turned him into a stereotypical crusader hero. And what he was supposed to represent is better understood from Guy's introspection after the battle. I don't really enjoy their lines but Aneurin's use of body language was excellent.

Citadel (2012). Another crying scene 😢 but this time a lot more subtle. Here, Tommy, just like Dan (The Way), is a father who faces an extraordinary situation which places his family into a grave danger. He looks very vulnerable, and the baby looking clueless and content in his arms draws a nice contrast. The way he holds on to his daughter clearly indicates that she is the source of what little strength he's got. We only see a single teardrop forming and falling as he speaks since he is too tired to do anything more. Watch the movie with your emotional support friends.

Barkskins (2020). Too poetic to describe. Excellent acting and writing.

[sotwk]

I’m a bit late to the party, but thank you SO much for answering me super fast! I so appreciate your ultra-in-depth response about Mirion and Arvellas’s fates. Although I still weep on weekends, it���s helped me so much with my own story! And all the supplemental headcanon info on Mirkwood as a society has been invaluable to me as well! (Also thank you so much for your update on my Lindir fic! Please don’t worry about the length of time! When I submitted the request I shot for maybe having it as a Christmas present or New Year’s treat! But any time I receive it l’ll savor it all the same!)

I wanted to ask though, are there any writing exercises or prompts that you do to train your writing muscles? I find that I have a tougher time placing dialogue intentionally where it needs to be, and I struggle with showing, not telling. I plan my stories and chapters, which helps me a TON, but I still have issues. I’m coming back to writing after abandoning it in about 2018 because of uni and life. But now I wanna come back, which is why I’m writing my story, but I feel so rusty. Any tips/suggestions on how/what to write to improve on these skills?

Thank you so much for all your help. I really appreciate you. Your account’s richer than the mines of Moria for great writing content!

- Mithril

Hello Mirthril my friend!

Boy, am I glad I was able to answer your Ask quickly last time, because this one is laaaaate. I hope you'll forgive me that, but I have been pondering over your question since I received it.

My impostor syndrome tends to rear its ugly head whenever someone asks me for writing advice. I am against false modesty and all for giving oneself due credit, so I will say that I am a pretty damn good writer. (And I certainly hope so; I suck at math and most left-brain skills, so this is all I've got, haha!) However, I wouldn't call myself top-tier in the fanfic writer's world. Even though I have been doing this for many years, I still struggle with any aspects of my writing--in the same ways you described!

But you asked so kindly and I want to be able to offer you something, so here are the few tips I could think of that personally work for me, in addressing the challenges you described:

SotWK's Writing Strategies and Tips

Writing exercises or prompts

I actually suffer from having too many ideas, so I don't seek or invite new prompts often. I lean on the endless stream of wackadoo ideas in my brain, or the lovely suggestions and requests that come into my (always open) Ask Box.

I exercise things that I'm weakest at, and right now that's my speed and focus. I currently write at an abysmal 6-7 wpm (about 200 words every 30 minutes). Embarrassingly slow! I very recently discovered sprinting on Discord servers, and so far it's been effective in training me to focus on just getting words down as quickly as I can. I highly recommend it! I think with time it will gradually bump up my wpm.

If you really would like prompts to get you going, there are plenty of prompt games floating around the Tolkien fandom. You can also source them from writing groups, such as @fellowshipofthefics, the one I currently belong to. Their January Trope Roulette, for example, is so much fun! Amazing support group for Tolkien writers, and more importantly--very chill, no pressure.

Dialogue

This is tricky for everyone, and definitely exposes a writer's style and ability to speak in the voice of different characters (I think that's why writers stress about it). You gotta do it with accuracy and range, so it IS a challenge!

If you want to get as close to the characters' voices as Tolkien wrote them, then the obvious strategy seems to be to immerse yourself in the source material. Read the books. Watch the movies (which are pretty faithful, tone/dialogue wise).

When writing Tolkien fanfic, I am constantly browsing through my books (having ebook copies helps), playing the trilogies in the background, or listening to the audiobooks (I have the Andy Serkis versions). It's a little bit like method acting. If you drown yourself in the character's voices enough, you'll actually start talking like them in your head. You'll pick up on the language, the word choices, the pace of the dialogue within the story.

This is the reason I personally don't hop around fandoms (Tolkien only), and I stay away from modern AUs or crack fics. I prefer to preserve that Middle-earth tone and voice and keep it consistent in my writings.

You can also draw inspiration from other period/medieval/fantasy works! My frequent go-to's are ASOIAF/Game of Thrones/House of the Dragon, Pride and Prejudice, and even Downtown Abbey works!

This last one might be extra weird, but I am a writer who leans heavily on fancasts/actors for inspiration. I like seeing a clear face and hearing a distinct voice for the character I am writing. It truly helps me write dialogue. For this reason, I fancast every major character that appears in my fics, and I usually pick big-name actors. Why? Because they have more movies/tv shows I can watch and listen to!

Fun fact: While writing my Éomer fic (which was VERY dialogue heavy), I listened to the first 7 minutes of Dredd SO MANY TIMES over and over just to imbibe Karl Urban's voice--I'm surprised the Netflix app didn't crash.

Showing, not telling

Here's one thing to try: Use "said" or "said + adverb" more often than you think you should, instead of trying to force a substitute. Or don't use a speech verb at all. This will force you to get a bit more descriptive about the characters' specific condition or actions. (Example from my fic: “Anywhere. Far enough to take you away from all this--” Éomer swung out his free arm in a gesture as wild as the fervor in his eyes. “Away from everything that is confusing you.”)

Visualizing a clear picture in my head helps me with the showing, and writing descriptions. Besides daydreaming and staring off into space, watch cinematic masterpieces, and train yourself to use words to describe what you are seeing.

But personally, I think purple prose and lack of brevity is the bigger issue in many fanfics (including my own). We need to remember there's nothing wrong with being straightforward in our storytelling and descriptions, because it speeds up the story pace or at least gives it more variety.

Shaking off Rust

Nothing else to do but just do it, my friend! :)

Whenever I feel rusty or blah about my current projects, I just shuffle over to a different WIP, or if it's really bad--start a new one!

As long as you're getting words down and you're happy and satisfied, you're doing it right.

Lean on writing friends for help and inspiration. We are a community here, regardless of the whisperings that "fandom is dying". It will stay alive and thriving if we keep it so!

Anyway, that's my non-professional, semi-bogus advice regarding things that work for me! Hopefully you can find something in there that works for you too.

Thank you as always for your kind words, and I wish you the best of luck--and LOTS OF FUN--in your writing!

[fictionkinfessions]

I had a dream about Madam Red last night, of all things.

With all the love in my heart, I don't think of her often 💀 My latest Grell shift was kicked off by Othello, so he's the freshest face in my mind when I think of Grell. Also I'm not even IN a Grell shift right now!!!! This came completely out of nowhere! But whatever. I dreamed about her.

I don't remember everything about the dream. I know it came off another one. I know we were in some room. I think it was like... A Black Butler Kinnie Meetup or something. There weren't many people there; I didn't recognize anybody either, like I wasn't sitting in a sea of characters or kinnies there was like A Dude. (MIGHT have been William, or I am retroactively imposing him on a man. Hard to say)

A little card came up a la silent movie or whatever, and it was a sex joke 🫢 And in my punctuating of such a clue (I don't know why it was a clue or why I had told people where I would be in this way) I sat on the table closest to Madam Red, legs swinging off the side mischievous style. The joke implied she was also a trans woman, which was very exciting and empowering to me. I remember people doing that OOOOOOOOHH thing people do when a sex joke happens LOL and for a moment it was whatever. It was chill!

Then I looked at her... And she was beautiful, but I also felt so disconnected. Like I didn't see her and get swarmed with emotions. My heart didn't jump. I didn't feel like a dog, tail wagging and excited. I can't say what emotion I felt because it felt completely neutral, but I started tearing up anyway.

I fought it so hard. I was like damn I don't wanna cry rhrn that's crazy. Get it together girl!!! So I looked away! I curled in on myself a little! I bit my lip! Whatever! How do you prevent the Eye Mist?

It wasn't enough. She hit me with that "Oh... Grell... Sweetheart, don't cry," and that was it. Full tears. I was like 😭 I'm sorryyyyyy Im not TRYING tooooo!!! And then she had the audacity to be like "I wanna see that smile <3" like DAMN GIRL I WOULD TOO BUT NOW! I'm groveling at ur feet! FULL crying like a hair away from sobbing if Im generous to myself. Flung on the ground at her feet, bowing and apologizing. Half for crying at all I think, but if that wasn't the whole reason idk why I was. I guess bc I kinda... Yk... 🪚 but idk I don't think ab that much, nor did I ever think I regretted it (sorry girlie I haven't watched source in a hot min so maybe that'd change if I did)

Anyway. Now I can't stop thinking ab her. Sorry for the long dump I'm just a little frazzled

Sending love to all the Madam Reds out there ig!

Xox, Grell Sutcliff of Black Butler fame

x

[blubbly-pizza]

I watched – Skinamarink – 2022

“Damn I should have read the tin that said ‘arthouse horror’ before watching arthouse horror.”

This is a movie I was particularly excited for; then I watched it. I think if you go in knowing it’s going to be a slow paced, occasional jump-scare, but still dread-infused movie; you’re prepared for that? Then you’ll have a better time. Anyhow, I mete out my thoughts under the ‘read more’ without spoilers. More of an “experience” movie anyhow.

I can say there are aspects of this movie I was fascinated with. The simultaneous film aberrations and more noticeable screen effect were an interesting add. In particular the other effect that isn’t a VHS or film effect. It’s like an overlay of transparent rainy puddle, but the longer it goes on you start noticing swirls. It’s fun because it renders the shadows and darkness as something more unknowable, more dream-like.

The shot choices are also neat. Every static shot is too close to the ceiling or floor. Mostly focused on either the light source or toys in the room.

All the audio feels like it’s underwater or from the other side of a wall.

I view these bits as positive by the way. They all add to the surreal and nightmarish feel to the movie. And shout outs to integrated subtitles! Even though there are a handful of lines that didn’t get the treatment.

Downsides? It’s long and too many (really loud) jump scares.

Again. 1 hour. 40 minutes. Cut an hour and rewrite around that maybe? Does “Brevity is the soul of wit” apply to movies? There is a short film by the same director with the same premise. “Heck” on YouTube. Heck I guess a lot of my length complaints can be evaporated with, “it’s an experimental art movie”.

I hate jump scares. They’re cheap. I hate this movie’s jump scares because they’re cheap, AND they didn’t need them. Every one that happened didn’t need a stinger. The movie is tense, the imagery is horrifying, YOU DIDN’T NEED TO HIT 0 DECIBELS!

#blubbly reviews #skinamarink #movie #horror #october 2024

[dragonflies-draw-flame]

10 fandoms/10 characters

Many thanks to @tomatette, @jaynesilver, and @fallingdeeperintothispit for tagging me 😁.

Star Wars (Sequels): Armitage Hux. I really do love Kylo too—Ren is such an interesting, dramatic character, and he's absolutely perfect for Hux, seriously. But Hux with his emotional unavailability, hard, overly-composed exterior, his passion/drive to the point of his own detriment, traumatic past...he's everything I could want in a character, because I am also all of these hard-to-love things (though thankfully minus the space fascism).

Star Wars (Prequels): Anakin Skywalker. Look, I know he's a bit whiny sometimes but damn if I don't love a murderous pretty boy on a fool's errand for the person he loves. Mystical space powers and dramatic sweeping outfits are just an added bonus.

Beauty and the Beast: the Beast. For the handful of people following my BatB Kylux fic, this is TOTALLY shocking, I know (and also you guys are amazing ❤️). I do love Belle—she's a book-loving introvert, so that's a given. But the Beast (notice I didn't say Prince Adam)...yeah, I did NOT know how to deal with my attraction to him when I was younger. Mercurial, cursed, awkwardly endearing, dark-haired, passionate, and desirously fluffy?! Wears dramatic capes, has an enchanted rose determining his future, and has the library of my dreams that he is willing to share?? What the fuck more could I want?!

LOTR trilogy: Aragorn. Do I really need to explain that to anyone?? (Also: sorry, Legolas...you were a VERY close second).

Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Jemma Simmons. Brilliant, adorable style, much more resilient than she looks. Her quote that goes "Past events...have shown me that I’m not good at improvisation. However, I excel at preparation" is not that great out of context here, unfortunately, but regardless, it was so validating to me. Me too, Jemma!!

Once Upon a Time: Killian Jones (Captain Hook). My husband loves this show, so we have watched it so many times. Hook is a seductive, charming bad boy who eventually really does try his best. And his pirate get-up? UGH, have mercy. (Also, wow, apparently I really, really have a thing for pretty, dark-haired, dangerous men who wear mostly black INCLUDING at least one garment that falls to at least knee length. Huh. That's...rather specific.)

Harry Potter: Hermione Granger. I related hard to a bookish girl who had a hard time making friends when I read these in grade school.

Howl's Moving Castle: Howl. I did not know how to process the extent to which I was attracted to him either, especially because he's not even human some of the time (which I liked, a lot). It was a revelation to find the world of online fanfic where I was very much not alone in those kind of thoughts!

Mean Girls: Janis Ian. Yeah, I know Janis does some shitty things in this movie, but she is unapologetic about who she is. I totally admired her boldness in high school, especially since I too dealt with the horror of rumors being spread about my sexuality (except the ones about me were true ahaha). And I always leaned much more Victorian goth than punk, but I nonetheless appreciated her style as well.

t.A.T.u.: Lena. I would be remiss to leave off this duo, even if they were a musical group, which is not one of my usual fandom sources. BUT they were the first pairing I actually read fanfic about online, way back when, and wrote a ton for them too (unpublished). For a 12-year-old who was struggling massively with...well, everything, but especially feeling incredibly alone and terrified of my sexuality, their music video/song "All the Things She Said" blew my mind. Unfortunately I never got my own chance to make out/run away with a pretty redhead in the rain, but still.

Tagging: I think I've seen this done by most people I follow already? But if you haven't done this and are reading it, please consider yourself tagged and do so, if you wish! I love these get-to-know-you things and would genuinely love to hear about you :).

[cipheramnesia]

I've always wanted to like horror. I always try to get into it? I've had friends all through life that love horror, especially movies. But i end up loving the time i spend watching it with friends more than I've ever enjoyed the content itself. And like i feel like I'm somehow failing to see it the way large parts of the population like yourself do? But i don't know how to enjoy the medium?

The hurtles I've identified so far are that when there's ableism involved i tend to check out fully. That's been a dead end. And when there's painfully illogical choices by the main characters (the ones that the audience are encouraged to connect with). I get it's a useful tool for plot and moving the story along, but any emotional connection that was built there is like nullified? Idk. Not sure how to see what other people see cuz it looks like fun for y'all

Got any advice?

First I'd say - maybe horror just isn't your thing? I love it, I don't expect everyone to love. I barely expect anyone that likes horror to like anything at all similar to what I like. It's a damn slog for me to find new horror I enjoy, even among the horror fandom, because so many of them want it all to be Insidious or Saw or whatever - which is fine but not interesting to me.

Ableism is a deep dive I need to spend time on, but short answer is - I haven't got a good answer here other than maybe steer clear of the "slasher" sub-genre where it seems most rampant.

I think the main item I want to dig into is whether or not horror in general is uniquely poor with ableism, or is it consistent with other media and singled out for other reasons. I have a suspicion that it's the latter, purely on the basis that it's common in generalizations like "horror has an ableism problem" where the reality is "society at large has an ableism problem" that the problem of the former is a reflection of the latter, rather than innate to the former.

But I don't know, Jason is a horror icon and earliest versions ain't too pretty from that perspective. Hard to equate the latter versions with ableism on accounta he is essentially a supernatural entity after a certain point and whatever, you get the idea. It's all complicated and takes time to unravel. However, all that to the side, it may help to consider if those movies in some way reflect something uniquely bad, or if it's instead more upsetting due to horror characters generally existing in upsetting or disturbing situations. Both can be true on a case by case basis - like the infamous "black guy dies first" problem, which STILL HAPPENS somehow even though it's a problem so widely known that it's cliche even as satire. I have some thoughts about that I'll write up sometime as well.

I'm thinking a way to approach it may be via Franklin, the wheelchair using character of Texas Chainsaw Massacre, who I believe is meant to illustrate the poor way disability is treated, confronting the audience with their own biases. That's a whole other long essay that needs a good deal more work. But I notice it, oh boy do I, especially in the beloved "80s movies," yikes. I enjoy much about them, but there was some... stuff.

Now, characters making stupid decisions I mean... that's just movies. That is literally all movies, characters make stupid decisions. I can't say that makes it better, but I can promise you the average bad character decision per horror, science fiction, Disney(tm), drama, romance, etc etc movie is going to average the same. On the other hand, if this happens in almost all the movies your friends watch, they might just have bad taste in horror.

The takeaway here is getting into horror is something you're probably gonna have to work at if you really want to make it happen. Check out reviews, trusted sources, see if you can find some novels or shows or movies that handle those specific issues well. You may find some trusted artists you can go to more consistently but it's probably going to require some screening. And then also - again - if you don't like horror, that's not a failing or bad or anything to stress over. Some people just don't like certain stuff. No big, live and learn, other fish in the sea, different strokes, all that jazz.